


All These Things That I've Done

by 13SapphireStars13



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Mob, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-09-25 17:04:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9831878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/13SapphireStars13/pseuds/13SapphireStars13
Summary: David hadn't thought asking Lipton if he could crash on his couch for a while would lead to something like this happening...





	1. Preserving Life Is As Good As Dying

**Author's Note:**

> K, so this is my first foray into writing in the Band of Brothers fandom, and I'm not quite sure I've got the characterization right, but I tried. This story is mainly Webster-centric, with some bits of Lipton-centric stuff sprinkled in, so if any of y'all have any advice writing either of them, please tell me in the comments!  
> I wrote almost all of this while on extremely caffeinated coffee (always add a shot of espresso, trust me you'll write like a devil is chasing you. Some of what you write might not be fully legible, but you'll get so many ideas you won't know what to do with them)  
> Again, if this is terrible, I'm sorry, but I'm already writing the second chapter, so I hope its not too terrible.

David woke up in pain. He woke up gasping as a nightmare, surely it had to be a nightmare no way could anything like that happen outside of a crime novel, burned itself into his memory. He woke up and realized he was restrained to a gurney. He struggled against the zip ties that held his wrists and ankles to the bed as memories flashed through his mind.

A dark car ramming into his own, pushing him off the road. Crawling out of the car, dragging…. Dragging something- what was he dragging? Dialing 911 with shaking fingers. Hearing the paramedics pull up, too soon, too quickly. The responder had said 15 minutes, it couldn’t have been more than 10. Watching as they loaded something into a separate ambulance. Him screaming and thrashing, trying to get to the other ambulance. A sharp pain in his arm as the paramedics stuck a needle into his arm. A gun peeking out from the paramedic’s waistband- why did the paramedic have a gun? Fighting against the paramedics, trying to get out… to get to… Lipton.

Lipton who’d been driving. Lipton who he’d dragged from the car. Lipton who wouldn’t wake up as blood flowed out of the contusion on his head. Lipton who’d been loaded into the other ambulance. Who David had been desperately trying to get to. Who wasn’t in the room with David.

David jerked against the zip ties, looking around. He was hooked up to a steadily beeping monitor and an IV, but besides that the room was completely empty. The room itself was as nondescript as it got. It was a cement room, walls and floor covered in plastic, either to keep the room sterilized or to make sure blood didn’t stain the cement. Probably both.

Breathing slowly, David took stock of the situation, distancing himself from his emotions, looking for ways out. The room wasn’t big, just what looked to be 15 feet in length and 15 feet in width. Close to the standard hospital room size. The zip ties that held his wrists and ankles were heavy duty, definitely not cheaply made. And the monitor next to him appeared to be state of the art, brand new. There was only one door that led into his room with no doorknob on the inside, meaning if David got out of his zip ties he’d have nowhere to go. There was a camera in the corner of the room to the left of the door, pointed directly at his bed. David couldn’t see the brand, but the camera was wireless so it was most likely a newer model.

David glanced down at the zip ties around his wrists. He could dislocate the handle of the bed to get out of them, but the ones around his ankles would be a problem. He had nothing to cut them with, and no amount of tugging would break them. He’d end up with bloodied ankles and still attached to the bed. But… David jerked his legs. He could kick out the end of the bed, the zip ties were only attached to handles at the end of the bed. If he could kick off the handles, he’d be free.

Biting his lip, David jerked his right arm sharply with all his strength. The handle didn’t break, so David tried again. And again. And again. Until finally the metal handle broke the plastic keeping it in place. David slipped the zip tie away from the metal pipe before reaching over and trying to jerk out the other pipe. By the time, he got his other wrist free, he was sweaty and breathing heavily. He sat up, groaning as his body protested. The car crash had done a number on him, David thought to himself, as he finally looked over his body for injuries. His chest hurt, a result of the seat belt keeping him in the car, and it hurt to breath. His arms were covered in scratches and bruises, and his right leg was wrapped tightly in gauze, his jeans cut to get access.

Mustering his strength, David kicked at the end of the bed. He gritted his teeth as pain flared up in his leg. Breathing heavily, David kicked at the end of the bed until, finally, it broke and slipped his ankles free.

Glancing at the camera, David swung his legs off the bed. If someone was paying attention, which was most definitely the case, they’d seen him demolish the bed and should be on their way here. David didn’t have the strength to fight someone off, his injuries were catching up to him, so he had to come up with a plan quickly.

Ripping off the heart rate monitor, David got off the bed. The pain of standing on his right leg almost sent him crashing to the floor, but David gritted his teeth and leaned against the bed. Clearly, he wouldn’t be walking out of this room. Glancing down to see if he was bleeding through the gauze on his leg, David saw that the gurney had wheels on it. David’s mind raced as he thought up a plan. If he pushed the gurney in front of the door, he’d be able to slow anyone coming in. But, he’d be trapping himself in.

David kicked at the locking mechanism on the wheels of the gurney. Better locked in than dead.

Once the wheels were unlocked, it was easy to push. Gurneys were made for easy transport, so they were light enough that David could push it just by leaning against it, which worked perfectly as most of his pushing was him just leaning against the gurney as his leg kept trying to collapse under him. The only problem was the IV. David wasn’t stupid enough that he’d rip it out and believe nothing would happen, but it was getting in his way, slowing down his already dismally slow progress.

So, against his better judgment, David ripped it out. Blood began to flow out immediately, but David didn’t have time to think about it. So, ignoring the blood dripping down his palm and onto the plastic covered floor, he pushed the gurney forward until he finally reached the door. Pressing the gurney firmly against the door, David locked the wheels before leaning against the gurney to catch his breath. If he made it out of this alive, he was never skipping a day at the gym again. Working out may be torture, but it was better than being too weak to push a gurney.

While catching his breath, David inspected the hinges on the door, making sure that the door had to be pushed inwards to be open. The hinges were placed exactly the way he needed them. The only way to open the door would be to push it open, which would be stopped by the gurney, at least for a moment.

Now he just had to wait until someone came to break down the door. David sighed and looked around the room, checking for anything he’d missed during his initial scan of the room. His eyes settled onto the IV stand. David glanced between the IV stand and the camera just above his head, idea popping into his head. David smiled a little. This idea didn’t really help him get out of here, but it would be fun to destroy some more of his captor’s stuff while he was stuck here.

Pushing away from the gurney, David stepped towards the middle of the room, only for his right leg to collapse under him. He’d forgotten how little weight he could put on it. Hands stretched out to break his fall, David groaned as he stood up again, careful to keep all his weight on his uninjured leg. His whole body was a mess of different levels of pain, but he couldn’t let that stop him. Shuffling forward, David grabbed the IV stand and made his way back towards the door. 

The camera wasn’t high up on the wall, if David stretched his hand up he could touch it. He took the clear plastic bags off the IV stand and brought it up to hit the camera. Hitting the camera off the wall was easy, smashing the thing with the IV stand was even easier and extremely fun. When he was done, the camera was nothing but a pile of broken plastic and wiring.

Weakly tossing the IV stand away from him, David sat down on the bed. Most of his energy was gone, which worried him as he struggled to keep his eyes open. He was still stuck in this room, and he still had no clue where Lip was, who David prayed was still alive. He needed to stay awake, to stay alert, but with his injuries, he also needed to rest. Laying back down onto the mattress, David let his eyes slip close as he worried about Lipton.


	2. I Call And You Don't Pick Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I think, I've worked out an update schedule. I'll update either every Sunday or Monday night, maybe both if I can get enough time to type ahead that much.  
> I hope y'all enjoy this chapter (I got to write a little bit of Webgott and I'm really excited for what I've got planned for the two of them)  
> Again, I'm still trying to get the characterization right, so I apologize for any out of character moments.

The next time David wakes up, it’s to the gurney tipping over. The door’s already been pushed open a few inches, and he can hear guys shoving at it. He tries to get to his feet, but his head’s too foggy and his leg won’t hold his weight. He collapses to the ground next to the pile of destroyed camera just as the door is pushed open. Two guys slip through and drag him to his feet. He’s barely coherent, eyes too heavy to keep open, and the two men have to hold him between the two of them to keep him standing.

“Shit, Babe get the bed upright. He’s not gonna be able to make it on his feet.” David recognized that voice. That Philly accent, that brash, rough voice sounded so familiar. He’d heard that voice before, but where? David couldn’t think clearly, nothing made sense.

David felt himself being placed onto something soft, the gurney, and suddenly felt himself moving, speeding up. David felt woozy as he rounded a corner at what felt like a breakneck speed.

“Jesus, Doc’s gonna kill us. He told us not to leave him alone.” David recognized that voice too, same accent as the one before. But, this one didn’t have the same rough quality to it.

“Doc’s the least of our worries kid. Lipton and the bosses will kill us, especially if he doesn’t make it.” The first voice said. “Now shut up and move your skinny ass."

As the gurney slowed down and stopped, David forced his eyes open. He stared around him, everything in a blur. He caught a flash of red before shouting drew his attention to his left.

“What the hell did you do to him?” _Lieb._ David struggled to sit up, but hands held him back. “God, _David_.”

David whined at the back of his throat when Joe came into his eyesight. Joe grabbed his hand in a crushing grip. David tried to squeeze Joe’s hand, but his fingers wouldn’t move.

“Liebgott, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at the docks.” The voice from before, the first one, said.

“Can you two _dummköpfe_ do anything right?” Liebgott growled, letting go of David’s hand. David tried to grab for Lieb’s hand, but Joe was too far away. David barely heard the first voice's answer as he struggled to get to Joe.

“ _L-Liebling_.” David’s tongue felt heavy, and he could barely rasp out the word. Barely a second later, Joe was at his side, cradling David’s face in his hands.

“David, _mein Schatz_.” Joe whispered. David felt water drop onto his face looked up at Joe in confusion. Joe’s dark eyes were blurred with tears. Joe was crying? David had never seen Joe cry before, never in any their blowouts, fights, breakups, and makeups had Joe ever cried. David had, on multiple occasions, but every time a single tear made its way out of David’s eyes, Joe would sweep David into his arms, and their fight would be forgotten.

“Lieb, you’re crying.” David rasped out, trying to lift a hand to wipe away Joe’s tears. Joe grabbed his hand, this time catching sight of how much blood was on his hand. Joe froze at the sight, gritting his teeth as what had happened to David.

“Go get Doc. Now!” Joe shouted. David could hear the two voices yelling back at Joe, and that’s when it clicked. That first voice, he’d heard it at Curahee. The first one was one of the guys that had kissed George, Bill, David thought it was.

“Joe…” David rasped out as his eyes grew heavy again. He couldn’t keep them open, and his grip on Joe’s hand grew slack. David distantly heard Joe shouting, but he couldn’t make out what he was saying. David tried to open his eyes, but he was so tired again. If he just kept his eyes closed for a second, he’d be able to open them in a minute.

***

_“Lip, you have to get back out there sometime. Meet someone, drink a little, make a few mistakes with said someone.” David grinned at Lipton as they walked into the bar. “Besides, this place is perfect. It’s a mix of everything you love. Old music and good beer, or so Hoobler tells me.”_

_“Since when has Hoobler ever told the truth about beer?” David laughed, and Lipton continued. “Just don’t ditch me at the bar for the first guy you see. Not everyone you’re gonna meet down here will be as friendly as you, Dave. Guys in this part of town are protective of their friends and their ego, so try not to bat your blue eyes at all of them.” Lip cuffed David upside the head when David fluttered his lashes dramatically at him._

_“Getting jealous Lip?” David said, swooning into Lipton’s arms. Lipton laughed and played along. “You know you’re the only one in my heart dear Carwood.”_

_“I’m sure you say that to all the boys.” Lipton deadpanned as he held David up. He chuckled when David just winked at him, lips curling into a lascivious smirk._

_“Not all the boys, Car. Just the men.” David led Lipton into the bar, dragging him by wrist when Lipton lagged a bit behind, chuckling at David’s antics. The kid had come a long way from the angry, restless soldier that had come home from war._

_“Just try to keep it in your pants for a while Dave. I don’t want to have to arrest anyone because you started a bar fight flirting with the wrong guy.” Lipton said as they walked in. Lipton smiled at David and glanced around the bar before he froze. He didn’t hear David’s response, but when David tightened his grip on Lipton’s wrist, he glanced at him. David was pale, smile looking forced as he stared around the room._

_Lipton glanced around the room again, recognizing most of the men sitting around, but his attention was brought right back to the large booth in the corner of the bar. Lipton felt his heart speed up as he looked at the men sitting there._

_“Let’s get out of here.” Lipton heard David say, but all of his attention was focused on the corner booth. “This was a bad idea. Come on Carwood.” The two of them turned around to head back out, but their exit was blocked as someone leaned against the doorway, pool cue resting casually on the wall next to him. Lipton recognized the man as Joseph Liebgott, one of Ron’s boys. The bar was deathly silent as David glared at Liebgott, who just lit a cigarette still blocking the door._

_“Excuse us.” David said tightly as he tried to maneuver around to get to the door, but Joe just moved in front of David, his movements casual and smooth. Lip could see that David’s entire body was tense, ready to fight._

_“Lipton? That you?” Lipton felt David jumped a little as a man shouted at them, glass bottles jingling in tune with the man’s voice as a door slammed behind him. Lipton turned around and smiled at the sight of George Luz, cigarette tucked behind his ear as he smirked. “Liebgott what are you doing lurking in the doorway? Can’t you see we have guests? Surely you didn’t forget to roll out the welcome mat?”_

_Lipton could hear a few chuckles, and he smiled over at George. George was a good man, one of the many Lipton had wanted to keep in touch with but hadn’t. There were just too many memories and too many what ifs for Lipton to trust anyone in this bar, even George. Except now here he was, surrounded. He could leave and never come back, shut the door on all of his friends, or he could let go of some of the anger he still held and start again, this time knowing what every man in the room was a part of._

_“George Luz!” Lipton smiled as he walked over to the bar, ignoring the way David tried to stop and how every pair of eyes in the building was following him, watching his every move. “How you been George?”_

_“Well, I ain’t as spry as I used to be, but the boys aren’t complaining.” George smirked at him, before looking to the left of the bar and yelling, “Ain’t that right Bill? Joe?”_

_“Jesus, George, we’re complaining. Just not about what you’re jabbering about.” Bill shot back as he walked up behind George and kissed him, Joe chuckling from where he leaned against a pool table. Most of the men started to laugh, used to George’s antics, and many of them went back to what they’d been doing before Lipton and David had walked in._

_Speaking of David, he was still standing ramrod straight by the door, Liebgott right behind smoking and staring at David with an edge of steel in his eyes. David’s eyes weren’t their normal ethereal blue that could charms the pants off of anyone, gender be damned but muted, almost lifeless, liked they’d been when he’d been discharged, saying his goodbyes to Lipton before boarding a plane back home._

_“Who’s Blue Eyes over there?” George said as he started to fill up a glass with beer. “And why did you bring him here Lip?” Lipton sighed and took the beer George offered him._

_“David!” Lipton called over, and David looked over at him, eyebrows raised. “Come over here.” David complied and walked forward, Liebgott a few steps behind him like a shadow. George’s eyes looked David up and down as he walked, appraising and most likely deciding whether or not to flirt with David just to see whose feathers got ruffled, Lipton's, David's, or Liebgott's. Lipton tried to suppress a smile. George would flirt with anything that walked, and David could charm anyone with his blue eyes. The two of them, if working together, would be unstoppable.  
_

_“George Luz meet David, an old friend.” Lipton knew to be careful with his words. George may be his friend, but he was still here, working the bar._

_“Nice to meet you.” David said pleasantly, reaching out a hand for George to shake. George glanced down at David’s hand before glancing back up at David’s face, smirking._

_“Pleasure’s all mine Blue Eyes.” George winked, and Lipton suppressed a laugh. David smiled at George before taking a seat next to him. “So, you got a last name David, or are you going to going to keep us all in suspense with that mononym idiocy.” Lipton knew what George was doing. He was fishing for information on David to figure out his connection to Lipton._

_“Just David works perfectly for right now.” David said, smiling faintly at George, Joe glaring behind him._


	3. I Promised You Everything Would Be Fine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is up! I might not be able to update next week as I'm leaving for spring break on Friday, and most likely won't be able to get anywhere near a laptop until Tuesday night.  
> Also sorry if this chapter is a little late and weird, I've got exams and I've spent over 3/4 of the past 48 hours either in class or studying. So, I was speed demoning to get all these ideas out to get back to studying.

_David stumbled as he tried to keep Hoobler upright. Hoob was a happy drunk, so he kept trying to hug David as he was dragged away from the bar, which was not helping with David’s coordination at all._

_“C’mon Hoob,” David said as he managed to get Hoobler’s hands away from him and his clothes. “Let’s get you home.”_

_“But, Dave!” Hoob whined, and David memorized because he was so going to hold this over Hoob’s head for weeks. “The night is still, as you literary types say, young!”_

_David rolled his eyes and glanced back at the bar door. Klink had stayed behind them to settle their tab, so David had dragged Hoobler away to hopefully sober both of them up in the cold night air and grab a taxi. David saw a taxi driving down the street, and he tried to grab the driver’s attention, but the taxi just drove right past them. David sighed in annoyance and pulled out his phone to call a driver's service. Maybe they’d get lucky and one would be in the area._

_The bar door slammed open, and Klink walked out, steps a little slow from the alcohol in his system. Not that David was judging him. Neither he nor Klink or Hoob could hold their liquor well, which is why David tried to stick close to one or two drinks most nights. The opposite of Hoob and Klink, who as soon as they got into the bar started knocking them back like the two of them were 21 and out for the first time legally.  
_

_“Klink!” David called over. “Come take Hoob, I’m gonna get us a ride.” Klink came over and grabbed Hoob, who tried to physically attach himself to Klink now that he was free from David’s grasp. Klink laughed and batted Hoob’s grasping hands away as he held Hoob up._

_David glanced towards the street as a taxi pulled up to the curb and let out a passenger. Sighing with relief as the car idled at the curb, David waved Klink over to the curb and helped get Hoobler into the taxi. David got in right after him with Klink waiting on the sidewalk to slide in after David._

_Before Klink could climb into the taxi though, someone ran up to the taxi shouting. Initially not recognizing the foreign language, David looked up as he connected the foreign words together, his brain supplying a quick translation from German into English. David recoiled at the sight before him. A girl with blood dripping down her face stumbled out of the bar, tears streaming down her face as she tried to get away from he building. The bar door slammed open behind her, and David glanced over, eyes widening. The guy that stepped out was tall, blonde haired, blue eyed, not really David’s type, and he would have been handsome, if his faced wasn’t screwed up in rage as he held up a gun, shouting out slurs in German. David ducked down, pulling Hoob with him as the man pulled the trigger._

_Memories flashed before his eyes as he held Hoob to the floor of the taxi. Shots fired over his head became mortar blasts feet away from him. The taxi driver’s shouts turned into his platoon leader shouting at him to move it. The girl's screams turned into artillery as David clenched his eyes shut and forced himself not to panic, not to let the memories take ahold of him._

_Once the bullets stopped flying and the memories were pushed away, David looked up, hands shaking as he tried to force his brain out of combat mode. Focus on the situation, find the gun, find the shooter. David saw the blonde man as he ran away from the scene. David crawled out of the taxi and onto his feet, eyes searching for Klink. Klink had been right there, where was he? David glanced down, and his heart stopped._

_Klink was laying there, blood collecting into a pool beneath him. David felt his mind go blank as he stumbled to his knees next to his best friend. He held his hands to the bullet wound in Klink’s chest, trying to keep pressure on it as blood welled up through his finger. Tears started to well up in David’s eyes against his will. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Being stateside meant that they were safe. There was no enemy trying to kill them. Klink had survived a war. He’d survived training, mortars, grenades, bullets, he’d survived hell on earth. He wasn’t supposed to die on the sidewalk outside a bar in Manhattan._

_“Come on Klink, you’re not gonna die. What do you think you’re doing down there?” David choked out through his tears. Klink didn’t respond, eyes glassy, and David felt his heart shatter. His friend was going to die, and he couldn’t do anything._

_“Klink!” David glanced up through his tears to see Hoobler sitting there, pale and terrified in the back of the taxi. “Somebody call an ambulance!”_

_Five minutes later, an ambulance and a cop car pulled up. David was still sitting there on the ground, blood covering his hands as he tried to keep pressure on his friend’s chest. Klink had stopped breathing three minutes before, and David had stayed where he was, praying that if he just kept pressure on the bullet wound a little longer his friend wouldn’t be dead. A paramedic had to rip him away from Klink’s body, and David felt something snap inside of him._

_Being stateside was supposed to mean they were safe. What did they fight for if being stateside is what got Klink killed?_

***

David fluttered his eyes opened blurrily. He could tell immediately that he was coming off of some form of anesthesia from the way he couldn’t focus on anything and how tired he felt.

“You should have stayed with him!” David could hear the strong Cajun accent of the voice shouting, and he winced as the loud shouts seemed to drive a nail into the back of his head. “He was already suffering from blood lose, and now he’s lost God knows how much else! You two ‘oughta know better, especially you Babe!”

The world around David was still foggy, and his eyes were drooping as he tried to force himself to stay awake. He shook his head trying to wake up himself up, but he immediately regretted it. He leaned back on the bed, head swimming. He couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer.

Struggling to keep his eyes open, David heard loud footsteps coming closer. Eyes fluttering closed, the door opened. Just as his eyes shut, someone stepped into the room clutching a bouquet of purple carnations, and David slipped away.

***

_David blinked his eyes open slowly. His head hurt, and he wasn’t sure whether it was morning or evening. He’d blame the jet lag for the latter and the Vat 69 for the former. Carwood had said one of his ex’s had loved Vat 69, needed it like air, and had always kept a two or three bottles at Lipton’s just in case. So, David had come up with the bright idea that they drink the lot, neither of them had to work the next day, so why not stick one to one of the dicks that had broken Lip's heart and trust. He’d been angry, Lipton was too, so the drinking wasn’t to block out the reasons why David was really back in town, and the anger he felt about that, but to get back at one of the men that Lipton had loved and trusted with his heart only for it to be smashed through lies and deceit. They’d started with one half empty bottle, and David thought they’d gotten through maybe one and a half more. Everything was blurry after they'd started the second bottle.  
_

_David groaned as he sat up. He was never coming up with an idea like that ever again. He just hoped Lip wasn’t feeling as bad as David was. The man didn’t need a hangover from hell on top of his broken heart. He glanced over and saw Lip fast asleep on the other couch. Apparently neither of them had been sober enough to make it up the stairs, which was probably for the best since neither of them would have been coherent enough to call for help had one of them fallen down the stairs. David stood up, vision only a tad blurry, and walked into the kitchen, intent on making breakfast or at least something that could pass as breakfast, for the both of them. David didn’t even glance at the kitchen table as he searched through the cabinets for aspirin and pans. Finding neither upon first inspection, David leaned on the counter as his head pounded._

_Glancing at the counters, David count sight of the massive breakfast laid out on the table. There were pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs, sausages, everything that made breakfast the best meal of the day laid out of the table with a large bottle of aspirin and two glasses of water sitting next to the largest bouquet of pink carnations David had ever seen. The thing took up almost half of the table, petals barely centimeters above the food.  
_

_David scrambled out of the kitchen, freaking out. Who the hell breaks into a cop’s house and leaves a breakfast feast on the table? How did they get in? Why did they break in? When did this happen? Was anyone still there?  
_

_David stumbled into the living room, tripping over the empty bottles of Vat 69. David noticed absently that there were three before he grabbed Lipton and not too gently shook him awake. Lipton woke up as soon as David had grabbed him, eyes wild, reaching for a gun. David tried to swallow down the guilt that he’d made Lip flashback like that, but it didn’t work._

_“David what the hell?” Lip said, words slurring just a bit. David found himself at a loss for words, something that rarely happened to him, and he tried to figure out how to explain what was going on without sounding deranged._

_“Someone broke in…” David said, forcing Lipton onto his feet and dragging him into the kitchen. “They left breakfast Lip. Someone weirdo broke in and left us breakfast. Who the hell does that?”_

_“David what the hell are you…” Lipton froze when he finally saw the kitchen. “Jesus Christ.” Lip sighed in annoyance. “Not again.”_

_David was blown. What the hell did Lip mean by ‘not again’? Was this some sort of regular occurrence? Did someone break into his house and leave breakfast all the time? Who? Why?_

_When David voiced these questions, Lipton just sat down heavily at the kitchen table, grabbing the aspirin and throwing back two dry before handing two over to David._

_“You know how I said I just went through a bad breakup?” Lipton said before gesturing to the table. “This is them trying to say they’re sorry.”_

_Lipton glanced around the table, cataloguing everything. His eyes stopped on the bouquet, and he sighed, cheeks blazing._

_“They’re jealous. Or at least Dick is.” Lipton sighed again when he saw David’s bewildered look and explained. “They must know you’re staying here, hence the flowers. Dick always gave them to me when he wanted me to know how much I meant to him. He’s old fashioned like that. Never could get him to understand that the flowers always wilt before I can actually stop to admire them.”_

_“You haven’t really talked about them.” David said, as he sat down at the table. “That’s not good Lip. You know what happens when emotions get bottled up for too long. You go down that rabbit hole, you won't be coming back up.”_

_“Look,” Lipton leaned his arms onto the table. “I know what you’re saying is right and all, but I don’t have a way with words like you do Web. I can’t make sense of what really happened, and I’m not sure I want to. Those men were everything to me, Web, and then when they told me the truth about what they really did, who they really were, I just couldn’t handle it. I’m a cop, and they think just springing that on me will end with us together?”_

_David nodded and pulled Lipton to him in a hug. When they pulled apart, David smiled at Lip._

_“Well if this is what they do when I stay over, I wonder what they’ll do if you start bring others back here for… something less innocent.” David laughed along with Lip._

_“I’m sure that day will not be happening anytime soon.” Lip sobered up as he stood up and grabbed a few plates from the cabinets along with some utensils._

_“About that…” David bit his lip as he glanced back at Lip, who was glaring at him playfully. “Hoobler was telling me about this bar he just went to, and I really think both of us should go out tonight.”_

_“David…” Lipton started, but David cut him off._

_“Lip, I know you still love Lewis, Ron, and Dick, but you can’t keep lock yourself up.” David dropped Lipton’s gaze before continuing. “You need to show them you’re not wallowing over the memory of them. Show them that you are Detective Carwood Lipton, and they don't mean jack shit to you."_

_“Alright.” Lipton said, smiling slightly as David grinned at him, blue eyes bright._

_“Excellent! You’ll love this place. Hoob says its called Curahee…”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Purple carnations are traditionally, in France, given in condolence for the death of a loved one. They also indicate capriciousness.  
> Cottage pink carnations are the birth flower of January (which is Lipton's birth month).

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments! They're fuel that keeps me writing!


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